Bossing My Friend

by Suzanne Hart

  Elsie was out of my life. Why was I still hanging on to her memory?

  I clenched my jaw and stood up from my chair.

  “I need another drink,” I told her, and Priscilla smiled at me.

  “Good, I’ll wait,” she replied. I shook my head. She thought I was going to stay here.

  “That would be a waste of your time, because I’m going home,” I said. Priscilla arched her eyebrows and then laughed.

  “Wow, you get straight to the point, don’t you!” she exclaimed and stood up from her chair. “Lead the way, Jared.” Her voice sizzled.

  “I’m going home alone, Priscilla. You shouldn’t have followed me here,” I told her firmly, narrowing my eyes at her.

  She seemed shocked and ashamed to hear it, but I had no sympathy for her. I didn’t ask her to come looking for me here.

  “I thought…” she began to say, and I pushed my hands into my pockets.

  “Go back to New York, Priscilla. Or stay. I don’t care what you do. Just fucking leave me alone!” I growled.

  I didn’t wait for a response. I turned and walked out of the bar into the warm LA night. I left my car parked outside the bar and walked back to my penthouse. I needed some fresh air.

  At the office the next day, I sat behind my desk, still lost in thought. I attended an important meeting that morning with some potential clients, but I didn’t care what the outcome of the meeting might be.

  So, when my secretary, Laura, knocked on my door and said that Mona Bentham was here to see me, I didn’t really pay attention.

  “Is she on my calendar?” I asked Laura, who shook her head nervously. Everyone at the office had noticed I was on edge lately. They were all afraid that I might lose my temper at them any moment.

  “Why are you here, then? You know I won’t meet anyone without an appointment!” I growled at Laura.

  “Sir, she insists that it’s an emergency. She says she knows you from Madison Green,” Laura said. When I heard the name of my old town, my brows crossed.

  “What did you say her name is?” I asked her.

  “Mrs. Mona Bentham,” Laura replied.

  Mona Bentham…Mona Carr? I remembered Elsie saying that her sister was married now. What was Mona doing in my office? We barely even knew each other.

  “Send her in right away!” I barked at Laura.

  Mona appeared at the door a few moments later and I stood up from my chair. I hadn’t seen her in ten years, and just like Elsie…she looked pretty much the same. That whole family had excellent genes!

  “Mona, what are you doing here? Is Elsie okay?” I asked, and she stepped into my office and shut the door behind her.

  Mona breathed in deeply and nodded her head.

  “Yes, she’s fine. Nothing to worry about. Sorry for barging in like this, but I really wanted to speak with you,” she said.

  “Come in, sit down.” I pointed at the chair across from me. Mona sat down, crossed her legs, and looked up at me with a soft smile.

  “Congratulations, Jared. You’ve done very well for yourself,” she told me, looking around my office. I had my brows crossed. This wasn’t the time for small talk. I needed to know why Elsie’s sister was in my office right now.

  “I thought you live in Chicago. What are you doing here in LA?” I asked.

  Mona’s cheeks flushed and she looked away from me embarrassedly.

  “I came to speak with you. Took the first flight this morning. I have a four-year-old…I know you’ve met her. Emma is spending the day with her aunt at work today,” she replied.

  “So, Elsie knows you’re here?” I asked, and Mona shook her head.

  “She doesn’t know where I am. All she knows is I’m busy today.”

  I sighed, squaring my shoulders and sat back in my chair.

  “Do you want to tell me what this is about? What is going on?” I asked, fixing my gaze on her now. Mona licked her lips nervously and looked down at her lap.

  “Jared, I know what happened that night at our home in Madison Green. I know what my parents said to you, what they forced you to do,” she revealed.

  I stared at her. What was she getting at?

  “Elsie never knew, of course. My parents never told her, and I didn’t either. I thought I was protecting her,” Mona continued. I had nothing to say to her. It was in the past. I’d moved on from it a long time ago.

  “Jared, I know it was wrong. My parents never should have done that, never should have taken Elsie’s life in their own hands. They destroyed her. You, disappearing from her life, destroyed her!” Mona was crying now.

  I was angry with everything, with everyone. Most of all, I was angry with Mona. She had no right to come here and stir up the past.

  “If you’ve come to apologize on your parents’ behalf, you don’t have to. I don’t think about that anymore, Mona. It’s over,” I spoke firmly to her. Mona looked up at me, with tears streaming down her cheeks.

  “Jared, I’ve always known you loved her, and she loves you too. I’m just so…so sad that the two of you could never be together,” Mona continued crying. I shook my head and looked away from her. I was breathing heavily, trying to control my frustration.

  “Elsie is in a good place right now. I will never be good enough for her. Your parents never wanted us to be together, and they were right. Our lives would look very different right now if she’d been with me. If I never left Madison Green,” I said.

  “Jared, she’s pregnant. Elsie is pregnant with your child!” Mona thundered.

  I snapped my head around to stare at her.

  “What did you say?” I growled.

  Mona covered her face with her hand. She was blubbering, could barely speak through her tears.

  “Elsie is going to have a baby in eight months. It’s yours. She told me so herself, but she doesn’t want you to know,” Mona cried.

  I jumped out of my chair and rushed to her side.

  “Are you serious about this? She’s having my baby?” I crouched down on the floor. Mona wiped the tears from her cheeks and nodded her head.

  “Yes. It’s really happening, Jared. You’re going to be a father. I can’t stand it anymore…I can’t let her keep this secret from you,” Mona replied. I stood up from the floor in a daze. Nothing was making sense.

  “I know she’ll hate me for telling you. She might never forgive me. But I can’t watch my sister live in misery for the rest of her life. Her child deserves to have a father. You deserve to know!” Mona continued through her tears.

  I walked to the window and looked out. I could see my own reflection in the glass. Clenched jaw, clenched fists, and heaving shoulders. Elsie was having my baby!

  Elsie

  Cedric was sitting in front of me. A small table, with a romantic centerpiece made of roses and candles, floated between us. This was the first time we were having dinner together in a week. I’d been avoiding him since I found out about my pregnancy.

  I looked at Cedric as he sat there, scanning the menu in his hand. Strong, reliable, good man—those were the words anyone would have used to describe him.

  He was handsome, too: his dark curls were thick and fell over his forehead. He had a gentle face, wore thin, smart glasses, and had a sharp nose. His blue eyes glittered when he looked up at me. He’d caught me staring.

  “Admiring the view?” he asked, with a smile on his face.

  My cheeks flushed, not because I was pleasantly embarrassed by what he’d said. But because I was feeling guilty.

  “I’ll have the steak,” Cedric said, and it made my stomach turn. I couldn’t eat steak since that evening at Jared’s cabin. He’d cooked steak for us that night. I’d barely even tasted it.

  We gave our orders to the server and, after he left, Cedric reached for my hand over the table. I noticed that, when Cedric touched me, I felt nothing.

  “I’m looking forward to Tunisia. Are you? I’m excited about the work, of course…but it’ll give us a chance to really get to know each o
ther,” Cedric said. I looked into his eyes and gulped, drawing my hand nervously away from him.

  “Cedric, I wanted to tell you sooner; I’m not going to Tunisia with the rest of the team,” I said and looked away.

  “What? How come? You’re heading this project. They need you there! You’ve been talking about it for weeks!” I heard him say. I couldn’t face him. I couldn’t look at him while I told him the truth.

  He deserved to know the truth.

  “Cedric…I…have something to tell you. I’m pregnant,” the words came out as a whisper. I’d been trying to gather the courage to tell him for a week. I was too chicken to do it before, but I couldn’t lead him on anymore.

  “Elsie, what?” his voice was barely audible. He was in shock.

  “Of course, you know it has to be someone else’s.” I finally looked at him. The back of my neck was burning up. I was embarrassed and ashamed and angry with myself. “It was a guy from my past. Just a casual thing…shortly before we met.”

  Cedric gulped and sat back in his chair. He was blinking wildly, then he dragged his glasses off and pinched the bridge of his nose.

  “You’re having a baby with some other man?” he asked, and I nodded.

  “I’m sorry, Cedric. I found out recently, and so I can’t go to Tunisia. I can’t be with you,” I replied.

  He shook his head, and we fell into silence. I didn’t know what else to tell him. I’d given him the truth and I knew I was hurting him, but this was the only thing to do.

  “Elsie…” he said and reached for my hand again. I could have broken down in tears right then. I didn’t expect him to be nice to me.

  “I’m sure you know that I really like you,” he said, and I smiled weakly.

  “Yes, Cedric. I really like you too…which is why I’m sorry about everything.”

  “And this man…this guy from your past, does he know? Is he going to be a part of your life now?”

  I stared at him. I wasn’t sure where he was going with this.

  “No…but…”

  “Then I don’t see why we can’t be together,” Cedric declared and squeezed my hand tightly.

  “I don’t think you understand. I’m having a baby. Someone else’s child!”

  “I understand perfectly. But why should that change anything?”

  “Why would you do that, Cedric? We don’t even know each other,” I argued, and he smiled warmly at me.

  “Whatever I do know about you, I like. I’m not saying that we should get married or commit to something long term. I’m just saying that I don’t see a reason why we can’t continue what we have. I’ll be happy to help in whatever way I can,” Cedric said. He was smiling; he was in a good mood. What was wrong with this man?

  I drew my hand away from him again.

  “I can’t expect you to do that for me!” I snapped.

  “Elsie…I think we have a connection. I feel connected with you. I don’t care whose child you’re carrying, as long as you’re with me,” he continued.

  “I don’t think you’re thinking clearly. You’re leaving for Tunisia in a week!” I exclaimed.

  “I don’t have to go. I was going only because of you anyway. I can get the work done from Chicago if I want.” Cedric searched my eyes.

  I sat back in the chair feeling exhausted. Why did he have to be so nice? Why did he have to be so good to me?

  “I…don’t know…” I began to say, but Cedric cut me off.

  “Just think about it, Elsie. You and me and that baby. We can begin a new life together, start afresh. Seriously, I don’t have a problem with it,” he insisted.

  When I looked into his eyes, I could see that he genuinely meant it. He was in love with me. Just the way I was in love with Jared.

  The best decision would be to take up his offer. I could actually have a family…or at least try it out. But I could never love him the way he loved me, and that would be an unfair thing to do.

  “I’m sorry, Cedric, I have to go,” I declared and stood up from the chair.

  “Elsie! Wait! Don’t go!” I heard him call after me as I started to walk away.

  Jared

  Mona told me where Elsie was having dinner that night. I drove up to the front of the restaurant and parked my car some distance away. I didn’t want to interrupt her dinner. According to what Mona told me, she was with a colleague.

  So, I decided to wait for her outside. Once she was done, we could talk. I’d been waiting in the car for no more than twenty minutes when I saw her walk out.

  My heart slammed against my chest when I saw Elsie. Not only was she still the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen, but she was also carrying my child inside her. My breath was caught in my throat as I watched her step out.

  I was about to get out of the car, but then I saw him.

  A man had rushed out behind Elsie and reached for her wrist and whipped her around.

  I gritted my teeth. My hands gripped the steering wheel hard. I couldn’t stand the thought of Elsie with another man. Now, I had to witness it with my own eyes!

  Elsie was in this man’s arms now. He was holding her tightly to his chest. It was obvious that they were more than just colleagues. I was parked too far away to hear what they were saying. I could sense that Elsie wasn’t too happy with his behavior, though.

  I gave her some time. Whatever was going on between them, I was determined to break it up. However, I had no rights in her life. I couldn’t just interrupt.

  But when he leaned towards her, trying to kiss her…Elsie pushed him away. It was the cue I needed.

  I stormed out of the car. Elsie was already rushing away from this guy and he was chasing after her. I was on my way, running up to them.

  “Elsie! Please, just hear me out!” I heard the man’s voice now.

  “Cedric, please, I have to go,” Elsie called back. She wasn’t turning to look at him, she was trying to get away from him. So, she didn’t see me running up to the guy and tapping him on the shoulder.

  “Hey,” I growled. When he turned around, I rammed my fist into his face.

  “What the fuck!” the guy roared, getting knocked off his feet. He was on the ground now. A stream of blood was trickling down his nose.

  I heard Elsie shriek. She’d turned around to look at us.

  I bent forward to grab the guy’s collar.

  “Don’t you know you’re not supposed to chase after a girl who is running away from you, asshole?” I pulled him up to his feet. He was covering his face with his hands, trying to avoid another blow.

  “Jared! Stop it!” I could hear Elsie’s voice behind us.

  “She’s my girlfriend, you fucker!” the guy shouted, and I pushed him away.

  “What did you say?” I growled. He was backing away from me now, towards the brick wall behind him.

  “She’s my girlfriend! We’re dating! I wasn’t trying to hurt her!” he replied. His voice was high-pitched and whiny.

  “Jared…please, just let him go!” Elsie squealed behind us.

  I’d cornered this guy to the wall. I brought my face right up to his.

  “When a girl tells you she has to go, you fucking let her go. It doesn’t matter what your relationship is. You get that?” I hissed.

  The guy nodded his head.

  I felt Elsie’s hand on my shoulder then.

  “Jared…let him be,” her voice was softer. I whipped around to her, my eyes narrowed at her face stormily.

  “Tell me he’s lying. You’re not dating this loser!” I growled, taking steps towards her quickly. Elsie held her ground; her nostrils were flared. She had to crane her neck to look up at me as I loomed over her.

  “He’s not lying. We were dating,” she remarked and narrowed her eyes too. She was challenging me again, goading my rage.

  “Not anymore, we’re not. Goodbye, Elsie. Best of luck with this maniac,” I heard him say. Elsie gulped as she tracked him leaving with her eyes.

  Then she looked back at me and gritt
ed her teeth.

  “Happy now? We fucking work together, Jared! You just broke his nose!” she hissed.

  I wanted to kiss her right then. I wanted to fall down on my knees and beg her to marry me. I would have done anything to make her see that we were destined to be together. That I couldn’t spend one more day without her.

  “He was running after you,” I said instead, still glaring at her, and Elsie rolled her eyes.

  She folded her arms over her breasts, and I watched every move she made. Her face was glowing, she looked gorgeous…there was no other woman better fit to be a mother. Nobody else whom I would rather have as the mother of my child.

  “What are you doing here, Jared? Why are you back in Chicago?” she asked.

  I couldn’t get the words out yet. All I wanted to do was to just stare at her. How had I got so lucky? Lucky enough to be living in that house in Madison Green? The truth was that I had the best childhood anybody could have, because I had Elsie in it. She had always been there for me.

  “And how did you know where I was going to be? What is going on, Jared?” Elsie’s eyes were brimming with tears now. She’d figured it out.

  “I know we’re having a baby together, Elsie. And I am not leaving this time,” I said.

  Elsie cried out, clasping her hand to her mouth as tears streamed down her cheeks.

  “I’m going to kill Mona with my own bare hands!” she cried through her tears.

  I wanted to reach for her and hold her in my arms, but I couldn’t…not yet. Not without finding out how she really felt about me.

  Elsie

  I brought Jared back to my apartment. We’d barely spoken on the way back. I was still fuming over the fact that Mona had betrayed me. It wasn’t her secret to tell. I still didn’t know the details, but I was sure not going to forgive her easily for it.

  Jared was silent too. His fury against Cedric had thankfully calmed by the time we returned to my place. When I saw him knock Cedric down, I’d seen flashes of the guy he used to be when we were younger. When he couldn’t control his temper and I was the only one who could calm him.